---------------------------------------------------------------- Snapshot at: 07:13 / 2113 GMT ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stock Markets
NetChng
NetChng S&P/ASX 200
5,388.09 +15.58 NZSX 50
6,947.89 +32.19 DJIA
17,828.29 -23.22 Nikkei
16,772.46 +15.11 NASDAQ
4,901.77 +6.88 FTSE
6,265.65 +2.80 S&P 500
2,090.10 -0.44 Hang Seng
20,397.11 +29.06 SPI 200 Fut
5,398.00 +5.00 STI
2,773.31 +6.65 SSEC
2,822.57 +7.49 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bonds
NetChg
NetChg AU 10 YR Bond
2.261 -0.022 US 10 YR Bond
1.830 -0.040 NZ 10 YR Bond
2.635 -0.015 US 30 YR Bond
2.641 -0.029 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Currencies
1700GMT
1700GMT AUD US$
0.7219 0.7191 NZD US$
0.6735 0.6693 EUR US$
1.1191 1.1170 Yen US$
109.75 109.88 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Commodities Gold (Lon)
1,223.85
Silver (Lon)
16.30 Gold (NY)
1,223.78
Light Crude
49.40 TRJCRB Index
185.59 +0.29 ----------------------------------------------------------------
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - Wall Street treaded water on Thursday following two days of strong gains as advancing defensive sectors offset declines in materials, banks and other cyclical industries.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 23.22 points, or 0.13 percent, to 17,828.29, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 0.44 points, or 0.02 percent, to 2,090.1 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 6.88 points, or 0.14 percent, to 4,901.77.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - Britain's top share index steadied at the close on Thursday after reaching a one-month high, as mining shares rallied along with metals prices to offset weaker banking and energy stocks.
The FTSE 100 index .FTSE finished 0.04 percent higher at 6,265.65 points after climbing to 6,281.73, its highest since late April.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japanese stocks were flat in thin, choppy trade on Thursday as indexes gave up earlier gains due to the yen's rising strength against the dollar, which curbed optimism over the profit outlook for exporters and other shares.
The Nikkei share average .N225 edged up 0.1 percent to 16,772.46 for its highest close in nearly a month. The broader Topix .TOPX was flat at 1,342.87 and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 .JPXNK400 ended the day flat at 12,114.06.
For a full report, double click on .T
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SYDNEY - Australian shares are poised for a lacklustre start on Friday, consolidating two sessions of gains following an unimpressive performance on Wall Street.
Pointing to a flat open, stock index futures YAPcm1 crept up 0.1 percent to 5,398.0, a 10-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO . The benchmark ended at a 1-1/2 week closing high on Thursday and was up 0.7 percent so far this week.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The U.S. dollar fell against the euro, yen, and franc on Thursday after U.S. economic data showed weakness in business spending plans, denting expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate increase in June or July.
The U.S. dollar index hit 94.938, its lowest level in eight days .DXY . The euro rose as far as $1.1216 EUR= , rebounding from Wednesday's 10-week low of $1.1126.
The dollar hit its lowest level in a week against the Swiss franc, at 0.9873 franc CHF= . The dollar was last down 0.44 percent at 109.70 yen, having been as low as 109.42 yen early in the session JPY= .
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury prices rose on Thursday as solid bidding at a $28 billion seven-year note sale kindled bond demand, driving shorter-dated yields down from 10-week highs and upstaging data that supported the view of steady U.S. growth.
Benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR were up 10/32 in prices, yielding 1.833 percent, down 4 basis points from late on Wednesday.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK/LONDON - Gold lost its early gains on Thursday, hovering just above the prior session's seven-week low as the U.S. was bolstered by hawkish comments from a Federal Reserve president.
Spot gold XAU= was down 0.3 percent at $1,220.16 an ounce by 1827 GMT. The metal had fallen to its lowest since April 6 at $1,217.25 on Wednesday. U.S. gold GCcv1 settled down 0.3 percent at $1,220.40 an ounce.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Copper prices hit two-week highs on Thursday as stronger oil and a weaker dollar triggered fund buying, but the rally is expected to fade on a poor outlook for demand growth in top consumer China.
Benchmark copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange ended up 0.2 percent at $4,661 a tonne, from an earlier session high at $4,712.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Oil prices hit $50 a barrel on Thursday for the first time in seven months, then bounced below that level and settled lower on the day as investors worried robust price gains could encourage more output and add to the global glut.
Brent LCOc1 surged as high as $50.51, its highest since early November, then retreated and settled down 15 cents at $49.59 a barrel.
WTI CLc1 fell 8 cents to settle at $49.48, after reaching $50.21, its highest since early October.
For a full report, double click on O/R
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